The present invention relates to devices for storing substances such as seeds or semen or the like, of the kind comprising a cryobiological tank having an internal container insulated by a sheath joined to a neck thereof, the upper extremity of said sheath forming a collar, a plurality of carrying cases or canisters for receiving tubular elements receiving the substance to be stored and each associated with location means for locating them and securing them in said tank, incorporating a heat insulated canister rod fitting between said neck and a closure plug and terminating in a retaining head bearing on the said neck collar.
As a rule, the means for locating and securing the carrying cases comprise a double fastening means at a high position on the neck collar or sleeve. To this end, provision is made on the one hand to install in position a tank base divider formed by a plate arranged at right angles to the axis of the neck and comprising rounded notches wherein are engaged circumferentially the carrying cases or canisters accommodating the tubular elements for receiving the material, and on the other hand to install a top divider on the neck rim, which comprises radial notches in the same angular positions as the rounded notches of the bottom plate and wherein is locked a recurved extremity of the securing rod. This arrangement renders it possible to hold the carrying cases in position within the tank whilst the latter is carried, but it will be appreciated that this result is obtained only by the positioning of the particular securing means on the tank and evidently equally of a plug or stopper comprising a barrel provided with longitudinal grooves in which are engaged the extremities of the carrying rods. Furthermore, handling these cases in not very easy since this requires placing them in position simultaneously at the top and bottom, and in particular placing them in position proves to be delicate. A comparatively complex arrangement has also been proposed, for removable fastening of the rod to the canister which, due to an axial offset of the rod and to a removable installation of the same, renders it possible to place the canister on the base of the container in an eccentric position rendering it possible to form a circular row of canisters in contact with the bottom of the container. This arrangement can only be manipulated in a rather unsatisfactory manner and requires excessive care from the operative. It has also been proposed to hang from the rim of the container a canister by means of a partially insulating rod which has a hook intended to reset on the upper edge of the rim, but the system described applies to a single canister only and difficulties would be encountered if several canisters had to be installed in the container in an annular row, in placing these in correct positions, that is to say equidistant ones, so that not only would their manipulation be rather onerous, but also hermeticity at the level of the container plug would be impossible to assure.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a device for storage of seed or semen of the type referred to, which is particularly uncomplicated, lightweight and robust in design, and is easy to manipulate.